Buzz
Grill marks—those signature golden brown stripes on your steaks and chops—might remind you of summer barbecues, but in reality, they’re pretty pointless. This isn’t just my opinion; it’s backed by the wisdom of Meathead Goldwyn, the undisputed Grill Master. And really, it just makes sense.
When you think about grill marks, it all starts to make sense. Those dark, golden brown streaks show up as Maillard browning and caramelization take place, meaning that’s where the flavor is concentrated. If you’re after maximum flavor, you want as much of that as possible. According to Meathead, the spaces between the marks are just “untapped potential.” (Of course, if you’re grilling thin cuts of beef or pork, delicate seafood, or anything that might cook too fast before developing a proper crust, grill marks are a necessary evil.)
For the best flavor, Meathead suggests flipping your meat often, and never letting it rest in the same spot twice. As he explains in this article, flipping every minute leads to a more even crust (less likely to burn) and ensures faster cooking.
When meat makes contact with the hot surface of a pan, it absorbs heat much faster than when exposed to hot air, which doesn’t conduct heat as efficiently. The molecules on the surface of the meat get excited, moving around rapidly and transferring heat to the slower-moving molecules deeper inside. When you flip the meat, the surface cools slightly, reducing the chance of burning when exposed to the heat again, while the molecules below the surface keep moving and spreading the heat. The same process occurs when the meat is over an open flame. It’s quite similar to how cooking on a rotisserie works.
As someone who’s both impatient and a little restless, and believes that one of life’s greatest pleasures is a thick steak with a flawless, evenly-cooked, just-brown-enough crust, this method of grilling is right up my alley. (If I’m being honest, I’ve also always felt that those perfect, criss-crossed grill marks give off a late 80s/early 90s vibe.)
